Blackened Flash
by Anticsareme
Summary: The story of Wally. Told completely different. How you may ask? Well... it starts with the... wait can't tell you. You need to read to find out. Summary's inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Blackened Flash**

**Summary: The rogues have had it with Flash. Always getting in their way so they decide to try and take him down a notch and fail. But in this case failing is another chance to win. **

**Yeah cheesy I know but I find cheese to be yummy in the right quantities. Hopefully you all will enjoy this as much as I think I'll enjoy writing. **

The Central City rogues weren't what most people would call fearsome criminals. They were the laughing stock of the villain world. They had the young villains and older ones who occasionally helped them. They weren't psychotic killers. That wasn't them. They just wanted a good life. And for them that meant stealing to have the nice things in life.

Captain Cold was there leader. It was argued but it was clear. He was the one with experience outside of Central. He was like the father to the two abandoned boys Hartley and James.

He planned on keeping things the way they were. But of course the universe just had to screw him over. Flash. Annoying as he was. Always getting in the way. Loved by everyone including other heroes and some villains. It was sick. He didn't seem real. He would do anything to

break him.

He never knew he would get that chance. Nor did he know it when it arrived. Or rather he.

Cold watched over two boys already who were enthusiastic about becoming criminals. They came on their own. But the kid he had now in his arms had to be taken away. He would be safer with the rogues. Away from Cadmus. He didn't know why Cadmus had him. Nor did he really care. He just knew that he needed to get away. So he did what any sensible villain would do. He kidnapped him.

The child didn't fight. His thin wiry body looked up at Cold. Hollow green eyes freckled with disbelief. His breathing soft but slightly labored. He clenched Cold's jacket and buried his face into it. Feeling the warmth coming from the con.

Seven years later…

Cold smirked thinking about the three boys readying an attack on Flash. Despite how the rogues usually worked alone, the three boys were almost inseparable whether it is in crime, pranks or eating breakfast. Hartley had become Piped Piper, a sort of ranged specialist. He played music that made Willis and James smile. Especially when he got people to dance for them. James had become Trickster, an up close and unpredictable harlequin. He played jokes making Willis and Hartley laugh when they were down in the dumps. And then there was Willis. Willis wasn't like them. He didn't fight. Cold had never seen the boy even throw a punch. He stood back with gauze, bandages, pain killers, some hard candy and medicine. Waiting for injuries and wounds, blood and bumps. He never asked but they'd always tell him what happened and he would listen calmly and stoically as he treated them. A small crooked smile planted on his face. Like a twisted minded child who knew that his sanity was only so-so. But more so than James at least.

He was the secret keeper. People went to him when they had to say something. And he would keep quiet about it. He seldom talked. He could be loud though. He had quite the pair of lungs. Sure he would laugh and cry with the rest of them but it seemed as though he needed other people's emotion to feel anything. The only time they could pull out another emotion was when they mentioned Cadmus. A flicker of fear would cross his face. He still hadn't told them why he was with Cadmus in the first place. It worried Cold to a certain extent. But as long as he remained healthy, didn't try to kill anyone, piss off the rogues or get noticed by the Scarlet Speedster then there was nothing to really worry about. He would be fine.

"Uncle Len?" said a voice. He turned to face Willis. He was scrawnier then both Trickster and Piped Piper. His hair short like Trickster's.

"You eating kid?" he asked. Willis had a habit of eating alone. Something he picked up from Cadmus no doubt. Yet some times he swore he wasn't eating with how thin he sometimes got. That gave the rogues a habit of kidnapping the boy and having him eat with them. Last time it was Captain Boomerang. Willis shook his head yes, telling Cold that he did in fact eat. The kid was not a liar.

"You're going out?" he asked, "James and Hartley are planning on going tomorrow. Or perhaps later tonight."

Translation, won't you wait for them? They want to go with you.

"Yeah. Robbing a bank. I'll be back."

"If Flash doesn't catch you," Willis somberly stated. As he usually did with his small smile on his face. Cold grunted.

"Yeah. If he doesn't. Take care of the others if I do get caught," he said. Willis nodded.

"Kay," he said. Cold gave him a rare smile before leaving. Willis sighed. It was better when no one was around. The rogues were nice. They got him away from Cadmus. But there were something's that not even they needed to know about. What he was. What Cadmus made him become. What they saved him from being.

He knew what was expected. He was going to work as security for Lex Luthor. As… an assassin for hire.

When he was seven he saw his parents for the last time. That's what he told himself. It helped to have an idea. Even if it was unclear and the memories blurry with age. It came to the point where he could only remember being taken. He couldn't remember his mom. Or his dad. Or anyone else. Sure there were blurs but that was not really what he remembered. He only remembered the horrors that were to come. He was at the park. He remembered that much. It was a humid and cloudy day. One that people just hated because it was hot and gross and there was no sign of sun with the menacing looking clouds looming overhead. He was playing with the tetherball that was there. Alone he remembered. He was playing alone. His mom and dad went to get something. He couldn't remember what though. It was then that a man walked up to him. He was large and menacing in comparison to his small stature. He wore a suit and dark glasses over his eyes. He seemed to look at him and asked him a simple question.

"Do you want to be strong? Stronger than you thought possible?" he asked smoothly. Wally's eyes widened. A smile came on his face. He was constantly picked on in school for being small, weak, having red hair and freckles, being good in science and other things.

He idiotically said yes not thinking of the consequences. A cruel smile appeared on the man's rugged face. He had the look of a killer. Not that Wally would know what that looked like until he was older. When he would be in too deep. He was grabbed and dragged into a van. It took a minute for him to realize that he was being kidnapped. He struggled and fought but to no avail. The man was stronger than a scrawny eight year old boy. They locked him away. It was a small grey room they kept him in. One that reminded him of a jail cell in the movies. The old bars that prevented his escape. The rugged bed that desperately needed replaced with many of its springs jarring out from the fabric.

Studied his body. Making him run and do strenuous exercises that made him ache all over. Cut him open. To see if there was any progress in the testing of powers. To see how long he would take to heal. Poured chemicals on him. Painful burning that made him cry like that was all he was born to do. Tears flowing down the red paths on his face. All that time one thought kept coming back. _I need an angel._

Though they never intentionally did one thing. Something that would save him. Only if it was his ticket to another place. The one thing that gave him his gift.

It was a normal and painful day of trying to get powers in his young and now malnourished body. He had been in there for so long. He couldn't remember what the world looked like. He was trying to remember what the moon looked like. He missed the moon. It was always changing. Like a person. It would see him, leave and disappear. Like a returning friend. He didn't notice that the scientists told him to move away. He licked his chapped lips oblivious to the lab. Just trying to remember the moon. One of the machines was short-circuiting releasing wild sparks around the room. The short circuit that hit his neck. His arms flailed violently in pain. He hit an array of chemicals set out having them land on his bare skin. The pulsing electricity drew in the chemicals. He screeched loudly with fat tears rolling down his face. Pain like he had never experienced before coursed throughout his veins. He fell to the ground writhing in said pain.

They had succeeded. They created a Meta. One that was unexpected in his gift, but useful nonetheless. He was sent out to Luthor immediately. Caged like an animal in a van. He traveled for miles with hunger clawing the inside of his stomach. Barely feeding the "wretched monster". It wasn't until they stopped in Central City for gas that he saw an angel. The one that did not look like an angel, but he didn't care. His prayer was going to be answered after so long. An angel in a warm white and blue coat. He spirited him away. To his new family. A family of misfits and cons. Though he was not sure he intended to have a family like this. He had wanted to be a hero when he was little. But alas, a villain's life was the life for him now. Black like the ever disastrous night.. A shadow. How many others had fallen from the grace of heroism? Villains were more common. Heroes were more loved. He missed the more ignorant version of himself. But he had no life to go back to. Not without remembering who he was. Who he was supposed to be.

He couldn't even remember his name. He was stripped of that when Cadmus had broken him. They had called him The Will Project. It was named after one of the scientists that was killed for their research. In the dead man's honor, he was named Will Project to the sentimental workers. But to the rest of the scientists he was WR-23. He had taken to calling himself WRW. Because the twenty third letter was W. But he dropped it. He preferred being called Will Project. It sounded like a name. Almost made him feel normal again.

He told Cold his name was Willis. Because his will was dying. But now will is burning bright.

But if that were his name then he would rather have it changed. Who fears a guy named Willis? It's like fearing a guy named Keith, Donnie, Dick or Conner. It sounded ridiculous. Almost as bad as Bartholomew. God now that was a bad name. It sounded so stupid. So idiotic.

"Glad I'm no Bart," he muttered to himself. He felt a surge of energy pulse through his legs for a moment. It was a giddiness that he would be forced to live with forever. A spark that could possibly drive him to insanity. He stood still to fight the urge. His foot began to tap fast to try and release some of the pent up energy. No. He couldn't throw away his most guarded secret. The secret that not even Len or Hartley or James knew. The one thing that really kept him tied to Cadmus and Central City. His little gift. He was thankful for the distraction that was to come as it kept him distracted and under control.

"Will!" yelled a playful voice. Willis turned toward the beckoning voice and smiled. His foot stopped tapping as his attention was drawn off the energy and onto his harlequin brother.

"James. Hartley. Uncle Len just left," he said. James continued smiling as Hartley showed something of a mix between a pout and a frown. Hartley looked up to Len like a dad. Len had been a better parent than either of Hartley's anyway. He was hoping he would wait and let them come too.

"That's okay!" said James excitedly, "I have a new toy!"

Willis raised a brow and a sheepish smile came to Hartley's face. This was nothing new.

"An invention," he corrected. Willis looked at him curiously. James was a genius. But his sanity made it hard for him to focus on making things that people could use easily. He instead made dangerous gags and toys for combat. If children ever needed to go to war then James would have the perfect weapons for them.

"Okay, I'll bite. What is your new toy?" asked Willis. James triumphantly held out a yoyo.

Wally looked at it carefully. It just seemed like a normal plastic yoyo. A bright blue one with a spider web printed on the side of it.

"It's a yoyo," he said stoically. James's smile grew even more. He flicked it into the air. A net jumped out of it making Willis jump back. He silently thanked whatever god existed that they were used to him avoiding James's inventions with his "reflexes".

"Like it?" he asked. Willis nodded.

"Very creative," he said stepping back up, avoiding the net at his feet.

"Thought so!" he said.

Mount Justice.

"So we're watching Flash's city why?" asked Artemis rather annoyed. The Central City Rogues were the second rate villains that almost anyone could take down with little problem. This would be too easy.

"Flash has a League mission and needs someone to watch over Central while he's gone. Take this seriously," Batman said leaving the team.

"He's joking right?" Conner asked. Even he had heard of Central City as being a joke.

"Nope. Cadmus was robbed of something pretty valuable there. They had so many people there looking for it the League had to step in," Robin said. They never did find out what they were looking for. It was a mystery. But the rogues stayed out of the League's way that month. Thank goodness.

They had seemed preoccupied with something else.

Not that Robin really knew. He became Robin a month or two after that fiasco. He met many heroes. One that stood out amongst them was Central's own Flash. He had a smile on his face when he had met him. He was always good with kids.

"So Central is serious?" Artemis questioned.

"Batman would not send us there otherwise," said Kaldur, "Let's go."

-.-

"Don't hurt yourselves," Willis sighed as Hartley and James left to cause some mischief. He had a bad feeling deep I his gut. Something wasn't right. He wished he knew what though.

A small bird landed nearby. A robin. It sang it's well-rehearsed song. He looked at it carefully. He was a suspicious person. One thing that came with being a rogue. He watched the bird but did not dare tempt to fight the bird. For normally that would cause them to do the action that you did not want. Because if a robin flies into a room through a window, death will shortly follow.

But not always the case. Some lived after all. And all were doomed to die. Still, better to avoid it. But the Robin stuck in his head. Like an arrow in his back. Something was going to come. And it was going to be unexpected. But it was also the first day of spring. They say that the first Robin seen in spring will grant a wish if you make it before it flies away.

He prayed silently to whatever god was out there watching over the rogues that James and Hartley would be safe. Hopefully the Robin meant the latter. Though fate should not be tempted,

"Why do I have a bad feeling?" he asked the Robin. It tweeted back at him before flying off in another direction. It almost felt like something was coming back to haunt him. Cadmus.

-.-

As the team landed in Central Conner clenched his eyes as pain filled his head. He had experienced headaches before. But this was a bit stronger than normal. A migraine. Like when the G-gnomes had control of him. Something was here. He could feel it. An obsession with the town below. Robin had said that people from Cadmus were looking for something here. Was it possible that there were more clones like him? He knew about Match. But was it possible that there was one that was free?

"Getting ready to land. Is everyone ready?" asked M'gann sweetly. Everyone nodded. Conner just grunted. Something was here. He could feel it.

-.-

Willis began rubbing his now warm ears.

"Who is thinking about me?" he asked the air. The trill of the Robin sang in the air. He smiled.

The little Robin was thinking of him was he? In his mind he thought of the infamous Gotham dynamic duo Batman and Robin. The sun was setting. He glared into the multicolored sky. Something was amiss.

-.-

The team landed with the ship easily cloaked on one of the building roofs. The team stepped out one at a time in their stealth suits somewhat curious as to how things worked in this town. It wasn't like Gotham. No place was like Gotham. It wasn't like Star City or Metropolis. It wasn't like Atlantis o anywhere on Mars. And even the Boy Wonder was at a loss. Flash never was one to send people away. But he was also one not to ask for help. So other heroes did not visit the so called weak Central City.

But the team would learn fast what it was like to be working in Central soon enough. Blaring sirens filled the air.

"Let's go," said Robin zipping off between the buildings. The team made their way to one of the banks in the town. Ice was everywhere. But no one was in sight. The police were zipping by trying to search for someone who was obviously not there anymore. The criminal who set off the alarm most likely. And ice in Central meant Captain Cold.

"We missed Cold," Robin said as the team arrived on the roof he was on.

"That was quick," said Artemis sounding genuinely surprised.

"This is Flash's town. He's known for being late, but he's still fast. His villains would have to be fast in order to even have a chance at getting away."

"So they are fast. Not strong," said Superboy indifferently.

"Fast Supey. They probably have stamina too. So they can go at it for a while."

"One hit and their down though," said Artemis tightening her grip on her bow. Aqualad sent the team a look.

"These are not hard core criminals. Many are mentally unstable. But they are nothing like those in Gotham," he said.

"How would you know?" asked Robin.

"Flash required help after Black Manta started to attack a lab in Central. I met a few of his rogue gallery," he said simply.

"Really?" asked M'gann curiously. Aqualad merely nodded.

"Well let's find Cold. Don't need Bats getting mad on the first day," said Robin as he punched something into his gauntlet, "What? There's another robbery going on at a gag shop. And… I'm getting some weird readings."

Aqualad nodded.

"Superboy, Miss Martian, Rocket, head toward the… gag shop and apprehend the criminal. Robin, you and Zatanna hunt down Cold. Artemis, you and I will check out the readings. When you are done with you're part of the mission, help out another team. Go."

The team split into their respective groups.

Team Superboy Martian and Rocket

It didn't take them long to find the gag shop. Police were gathered around it already. But the surprising thing was the fact that there was a clown throwing yoyos at the police. Laughing cheerfully at the nets that popped out of the toys.

"Oh what fun it is to try and play with the cops tonight!" he sang. Another boy stood behind but close to the clown. He looked like he was wearing a pair of green pajamas. He held an instrument of sorts in his hands. A flute by the looks of it.

"This is going to be easy," said Superboy jumping down into the fray with the girls following to make sure he doesn't hurt or damage anything too badly.

Tag team Zatanna and Robin

"Have you located Cold?" Robin asked as he was going through his gauntlet looking for any clues as to where the icy criminal may be.

"I think I have. He's not too far," Zatanna said confidently.

Tag team Artemis and Aqualad.

"Well this is shaping out rather well," said a bored Artemis as they entered an old building. Probably some new nut job crook here anyway. The floor creaked and a light in another room flickered on. A soft yawn came from the room.

"Uncle Len? James? Hartley?" another yawn, "Who's there?"

The voice was soft and obviously tired. A silhouette of a young teen appeared in the door way. The hand flipped on the switch for the light in the room. Fiery red hair lay messily on the teen's head as he yawned again. Bleary green eyes looked at both of the young heroes. And he had what he considered a normal reaction. He screamed like a little girl.

"AAAHHHHH!" he cried jumping back. His body showed no signs of droziness now. He was fully awake and aware of the African teen with gills and killer Goldilocks.

"Listen," the girl began. His eyes widened. His body began to shake. Her eyes. Oh god her eyes. They steely silver. Just like the man who took him away. Cadmus.

**Yeah well… review I guess. **


	2. Chapter 2

Wide green eyes stared at the two heroes with fear. He opened his mouth to scream but to no avail there was no sound. Not until the bulkier male moved closer. Then he found his strength to scream and boy did he wail.

The two covered their ears obviously not prepared for the boy who was screeching like a banshee. He took that time to turn around and attempt to bolt. Unfortunately one of them had grabbed his forearm in a firm grip. He twisted and turned trying to get out of the hold.

"Calm down," the girl demanded. He just squirmed even more.

"Help!" he cried out. He was answered with the breaking down of the back door. Splintering wood littered the floor. As well as… ice?

"What the hell is going on here?" A gruff voice demanded. A white and blue jacketed man walked in to see the two heroes and the red head struggling. A scowl came to his face. He lifted his gun, "Never mind. I don't want to know. Just let go of the kid."

He was then pulled behind the large African male. He looked up and lost his voice once again. This guy had _gills_. His breathing grew more staggered as he began to hyperventilate. Definitely Cadmus. He attempted to swallow the lump in his throat. Cold aimed his ice gun at the archer girl. He needed to say something. Cold didn't stand a chance against them.

"Run!" he finally cried out, "They're Cadmus."

His eyes looked straight at Cold pleading that he left safely and maybe even alert the other rogues. He didn't notice the two intruders staring at him in bewilderment. He just watched Cold's movements. They grew slower and slower. But he didn't seem bent on leaving. He shot his gun releasing a blue substance at the girl. She was nimble and moved out of the way of the shot.

"Where the hell are Trickster and Piper," he growled. Willis narrowed his eyes a bit.

"Late night robbing fest?" he squeaked. Cold frowned. But continued to shoot at the archer. The African male that Willis was behind pulled something from his belt. And before Cold and the archer could blink he had two blue glowing scimitars that looked as if they were made from water. Cold shot at the weapons turning them into a frozen icy blue before the male charged. His feet slapping the ground as readied his attack. Cold jumped out of the way easily avoiding the teen. He was large but he was nowhere even close to the speed of any of the rogues. Cold used the speed to his advantage and shot the teen encasing him in the icy prison.

"No Trickster or Piper and Cadmus is here? Well isn't that just fucked up," he said now going back to shooting at the archer who in reply sent her own volley of deadly arrows. Willis wanted to move. He really did. But he was paralyzed with fear. Cadmus was back. They were back. They'd take him away. It would happen all over again. He fell to the floor now ignoring the fight that was taking place right in front of him in the place he had taken to calling home. He hugged his knees to his chest. He couldn't take that again. But he couldn't run. Not now.

-.-

"Wha th' 'ell is goin on en Cold's home?" Captain Boomerang said aloud as he heard fighting going on inside of the dwelling. He had been itching for a good fight. Rogues sometimes would meet up and bash heads sometimes. When they weren't feeling up to crime but still wanted the roaring adrenaline brought on by a good fight. He scowled. He wasn't invited. Well, he always did like to crash a party. A smile came to the blue clad man's face. He snuck over to the front door that was swinging on its hinges. He cocked a brow and peered inside.

"Ello?" he asked. He heard glass smashing. He smiled and ran into the other room. He stopped when he saw a girl with a bow, Cold trying to shut her, some frozen kid and they young Cadmus rescue on the floor wracked in emotion that Boomerang had never seen him so freely express. He threw his boomerang without much thought having it whirl in front of the blond archer. She turned her head slightly to see him. She clenched her jaw.

She seemed to see something they didn't because a smirk came to her face.

"You two are going down," she coyly stated. Willis whimpered a bit and scooted back. Now the rogues may be criminals. But they sure as hell weren't heartless. In fact it looked like Cold was ready to shove his ice gun up her ass for scaring Willis.

"We ain't the ones outnumbered Blondie," said Cold.

"You would think that wouldn't you," she said. More glass shattered as two other forms entered through the windows. Two small forms. But one was infamously familiar.

"Bat boy?" Cold questioned seeing the younger of the dynamic duo. The boy frowned and threw something at Cold. Turned out to be a batarang that contained a net. Cold tried to shoot it down but it was too little too late as he was wrapped in the netting and falling to the ground with his lack of balance. Boomerang threw another one of his boomerangs only for it to be frozen and fall in midflight.

"Bloody 'ell!" he cried out in disbelief. He was shot down by the archer. An arrow she fired released a sticky red cement like substance. Willis scooted back towards the wall. He could hear his heart beating. It sounded constant even as the world seemed to be going slower. The adrenaline endorsed by fear made his body feel as though electricity were coursing throughout his veins. He wanted nothing more than to run. But Cold and Boomerang…

With Trickster and Piper.

"I hate clowns," Superboy growled as he had missed the harlequin for the umpteenth time. The young clown just frowned at him.

"But clowns are so much fun!" he proclaimed innocently unaware of much he was annoying Superboy. Piped Piper seemed aware of it though.

"Hey Trickster. We're late," he said simply. Something in Trickster's mind clicked as a look of recognition dawned on his face.

"Not late again!" he said darting off with quite the spring in his step. Miss Martian flew after them and Rocket tried her best to catch them. They all silently agreed that Kaldur was right. They really were fast. Forget having to be stealthy and quick, these guys were insanely fast.

They darted in and out of places making civilians jump back. It wasn't long before the three lost them.

"How did we lose them?" asked Rocket in disbelief. They were so ridiculous. The clown glowed in the dark too!

"I… I don't know," Miss Martian said agreeing with Rocket, "But we might as well meet up with the team. They aren't far from here and it feels like they are fighting."

Superboy let out a small grunt of satisfaction that he'd be able to _hit_ something now. They made their way to a more suburban neighborhood before hearing the fight taking place in one of the dwellings. Vile curses were being thrown about in the air and stray arrows, batarangs and boomerangs came out the window every few seconds. Superboy charged in with Rocket following. Miss Martian was about to when she felt a wave of emotion coming from inside. One person. She could tell was terrified. She could feel it so easily. She went over slowly and felt herself turn invisible.

The inside of the building was a mad house. There was Captain Cold and Captain Boomerang attacking the team and… Trickster and Piper were with them. But none of them had the emotion she was feeling. She felt concern from the clown and musician. But she felt rage and a touch of hatred from Cold. Scanning the room her eyes fell onto a red haired boy staring at the scene in horror.

He was older than Robin. But this person was a civilian. This was probably his home too. She flew over to him avoiding being hit. She felt the waves of fear and uncertainty roll off his person. She was about to try and comfort him when the battle changed drastically. One punch from Superboy hit part of the wall causing that part to start and fall. It would've fallen on the harlequin criminal and might've even killed him but the red haired boy vanished. So did the harlequin. It was all a blur as the rubble fell. The rogues looked like they had seen a ghost. Or the Flash. But Flash wasn't here right now.

"Kiddo?" Cold said softly lowering his gun in shock. The team took the time to knock out Piper, Cold and Boomerang. Trickster and the red head were nowhere to be found in the dwelling. Superboy picked up Piper and Boomerang while Robin thawed Aqualad from his icy prison. Aqualad shivered slightly as he came out but was overall fine. He looked at the team and the criminals.

"Where is the red head?" he asked.

"He vanished. Along with Trickster," Artemis said bitterly. Who was he? He didn't seem to know that they were heroes. He was also warning Cold. But he mentioned something about Cadmus. Wasn't that where Aqualad and Robin found Superboy?

"He seems to be a victim of Cadmus," Aqualad said to the team. That was all he could really think he was. A clone perhaps of another hero. Or a villain. Or another Meta. He was able to escape into thin air. And Aqualad knew that Trickster did not have any power, "We need to alert the league."

"Or we could try and catch Trickster and just _happen_ to catch Mr. Disappear," Robin suggested. The other members of the team nodded in agreement. Aqualad sighed.

"We will find Trickster and then we will alert Batman of our find," he said.

…

Trickster blinked twice before realizing that they were at the Rogue's favorite diner.

"Whoa! How'd we get here?" he asked nonchalantly sitting in his usual seat. He then saw Willis looking at him with somber eyes.

"James… are you hurt?" he asked in a bittersweet voice. Hurt was laced deep in his eyes.

"Nope!" trickster said happily popping the p. Willis sighed in relief.

"That's good," he said softly.

"So who were they?" Trickster asked innocently. Willis held a grave look on his face.

"Most likely Cadmus. They charged into our home without warning. I think that they're back to find me," he proclaimed unhappily. He sat down and placed his head onto the table. James stroked it like an older brother would do to a younger one.

"It's okay," he said softly, "The rogues will make sure no one hurts you."

Willis's head lifted slowly. Blood shot eyes looked at James.

"I'm worried about you guys. They… they won't hesitate to kill. I've seen it before," he said. Trickster pulled him into a hug.

"It's okay. We're faster than them. They can't touch us," said James happily. Willis wrapped his arms around James in the brotherly embrace.

"If only it were that true," he murmured too soft for Trickster's ears.

"Besides, with you running as fast as Flash there is no way they could find you!" he said excitedly. Willis slapped his hands over Trickster's mouth. A pleading look begged Trickster to no end.

"Please don't tell!" he said frantically. Trickster smiled and then mimed that he was zipping his mouth and throwing away the key to its lock.

"Tell what?" he asked. Willis gave a small smile.

"Oh nothing," he said. Though the lingering look of helplessness and pleading bothered Trickster a bit, he was glad that his good friend brother person had told him something he was pretty sure that not even Captain Cold knew about. And he knew about everything according to James.

…**Please review. I am hungry. I eat reviews. They are nummy. And what I don't eat go to feeding Wally. Not Bart. Bart made Wally look bad on TV.**


	3. Chapter 3

James was thrilled to learn about his ever quiet and listening brother. He knew things about everyone so it was a big thing for him. His friend/brother was a Flash. Well… a baby flash. Flash rogue? Baby rogue? Baby flash rogue? Naw. He liked baby flash the best. He was their baby and he was obviously a Flash. He smiled as they left the diner. James would take him to Heat Wave tonight. With their house being watched by people.

-.-

Hartley woke up with a splitting headache. He groaned as he tried to focus on where he was. It was a small room. Interrogation room. He clenched his jaw. He barely remembered what had happened this time. He remembered James and Wally disappearing when he blacked out. He now officially hated any hero that was not Flash. Flash was at least polite about arresting them and did not knock them out to the point where they couldn't remember anything.

Nor did he barge into their homes for an arrest. He was a bit classier than that. Unlike the younger baby heroes before him. One was the boy wonder. He was freakin younger than him! He scowled as the baby bat walked in.

-.-

The team had searched for the harlequin and Mr. Disappear. But they seemed too good at hiding. There was no real trail to follow. And no one would stoop to asking one of the local villains where they were. So all they had were Boomerang, Cold, and Piper. Boomerang was hard to understand but the jist of what he said was that he wouldn't tell any hero (cape he had said) where the young ones had run off to. Cold, much like his namesake, gave them the cold shoulder. He would only talk to them if it was an insult. So now they were on the youngest member.

Robin had researched him just a minute ago. He was good friends with the harlequin. They would normally be together either on the streets, in jail, or as villains. So he probably knew the most about where the two would be. And while he was questioning Piper, Kaldur was contacting the league. Namely Batman and Flash.

"Alright Piper, start talking. Where's the clown and the red head?" he demanded doing an imitation of Batman. Piper scoffed.

"His name is Trickster bird brain. Not clown. And why should I tell you anything? What do you have?" he barked back. Robin's eyes narrowed. This wasn't in his file. He was typically calmer. Somewhat mellow. Reserved and almost gentleman like. This was more of a normal crass criminal than he had thought.

"Look, you're going to go away for a long time unless you give us the information. It will help let you out earlier," he lied. Piper glared at him.

"I don't know where they are," he answered honestly but in a harsh tone to try and scare off the young baby of a hero. But to no such luck. He just kept at it.

"Then tell me how they disappeared," he said. Batman wouldn't have been happy to see Piper unfazed by his ward.

"I don't know. But you can bet your sorry behind that you won't get them. They have plenty more tricks where that came from," he said. Truthfully he had no idea. But Willis was one who never really talked about what he could really do. He was bound to have some tricks up his sleeve after living with the rogues for so long.

Even some _flashier_ tricks. Oh god there was a thought. Willis just vanished. Well, he came from Cadmus…

Cadmus. That was it. They did that to him. They didn't just torture him. They turned him into a meta! God! And he had lived with him for years. How could he be so blind?

Robin frowned at the sudden look of epiphany that appeared on the musician's face. It was a rather unnerving feeling that he usually reserved for Gotham. There was something he had figured out. And Robin was going to figure out what.

-.-

"Mi-ick! We're home!" James sang swinging the front door open in a sing-songy voice. A grunt came from the kitchen and a familiar man (to the boy's relief) appeared and walked up to the door.

"Now what the hell are you two doing here? And where's the Bloody locks?" he asked referring to Hartley.

"Jail. Along with Cold and Boomerang. Mind if we crash here? Cadmus attacked our home with some capes."

He raised a brow now curious.

"Capes working with Cadmus? Good god the world must be coming to an end," he sighed, "Now get your but up to your rooms."

James gave a huge smile and ran up to his usual room. Mick had guest rooms but only Hartley, James, and Willis used them. Hence, it was their rooms. Willis looked at Mick with frightened deer in the headlights eyes. He put his hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'll call the other rogues. High alert for all rogues. They won't get you again," he said unsure of how the kid was really feeling. A small smile came to Willis's face. He gave Mick a quick hug before going up the stairs to _his_ room.

"Damn Len. Why the hell did you have to get your ass arrested in a time like this?" he said to himself as he prepared a long list of numbers he would be calling since their "leader" had been taken out by capes when Flash was out of time. Best freakin' timing in the whole world. Why not have also waited for Luthor to be in town? Or even Joker? He punched in the first set of numbers and waited listening to the dial tone.

"Hello?" asked a groggy voice.

"Evan. Cadmus is in town."

"What!" the voice cried, all traces of sleepiness gone, "Oh when I see them…"

"Pass it along Evan. We've got a lot of calls to make."

"Where's Cold?"

"Arrested."

"Damn. Flash is out of town and he's arrested. That sucks."

"Yeah it… Oh what am I saying? Pass along the call! They've come after the kids!"

**Well, here is another chapter. Review if you want to. Today I am stuck in the Franklin Park Conservatory for seven hours. Love the butterflies! Love the Flash Family! Love the Rogues!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Wally is fifteen. But he has no idea. He really can't remember. James is one month or so older than him and Hartley is a few months older.**

Conner frowned as the feeling he had in Central weakened but did not go away. It was a tugging feeling. One that seemed to nag him. Saying that there was something important. Something out there he needed to find. His team was already busy looking for the clown and the disappearing kid. His gut tightened. His face held nothing but fear. Terror. Normally people didn't look at the team like that. Not even villains. He and the team heard that he had a Cadmus freak out.

His gut further tightened. He didn't like the feeling. He didn't like it one bit. But could it be… that he had felt him in Central? When they had first landed that feeling of wanting to look for something. Was he that something? Someone? Was he another clone of another hero? One that could show up or disappear in an instant without words? Not so much unlike Batman other than the fact he had powers really. He wasn't a Martian like M'gann or her uncle. Not a magician because he said no words and did no spells. It was more like he was just a flickering light. Like he was out in a flash.

Flash.

His eyes widened. He didn't disappear. He _ran _away. That was why the rogues didn't know how to react. They probably had no idea they had a Flash clone.

He began to walk to the debriefing room hearing Batman's arrival. He needed to alert them of the Flash clone running around.

Upon entering the room he walked up with Robin who was alerting Batman of what little information he could get from the villains. Apparently they were smarter than they led on.

"Batman," Conner said stiffly. Batman gazed over at him. Robin faced him as well. Despite being intimidated by the larger and more experienced hero who was known to carry kryptonite on them he held his ground.

"Is it possible that there is another Flash in Central?" he asked. Batman said nothing for a minute.

"It's a possibility. Cadmus did work in the area and since they have already showed they can clone, it would not surprise me if there is a clone of Flash running around in Central."

"So we can go after him? He and Supey are practically cousins," Robin said with a smile. He really wanted to go catch the red head. Another clone from Cadmus? One who mirrored a different hero in power? How bad could that be?

"No."

"What? Why not?"

"Flash is back. He will be looking for the Cadmus boy," he said in a way that held no visible room for arguing. Robin frowned. Conner however had more to say than the Boy Wonder in this little fight.

"I can feel him," said Conner.

"How so?" Batman asked. Robin raised a brow. That wasn't one of Superman's powers.

"When we were in central my stomach tightened. It got a bit stronger once we were in his house. But it seemed to die down when he vanished. And even more so after we left Central," he admitted. Batman's eyes narrowed. If he sent Superboy on this Robin would be sure to follow. It was one thing when they were going into a prison. Superboy was with M'gann.

But Superboy could feel the kid they were looking for. Who was most likely with Trickster.

"Superboy. Robin. You will be deployed to Central City in an hour. Get ready while I alert Flash."

Robin let out a huge smile and ran off to the hanger for his motorcycle. Superboy just walked. He had a lot on his mind.

-.-

Willis tossed and turned in his bed violently. His face scrunched up in obvious pain. A nightmare.

He was seeing faces. He was surrounded by faces. Scientist faces. Cadmus faces. Cold, cruel, unfeeling. He curled himself into a little ball. His hands over his ears. He screamed bloody murder.

"Go away!" he cried feeling tears fall down his face.

"Hot Rod!" a voice cried out. One that was familiar and comforting, yet unnamable. He slowly lifted his head. He saw a man. One with blond hair and kind blue eyes. A warm smile on his face. He stroked his cheek removing the tears.

"Un… Uncle…?"

"Yeah kiddo. It's me. You're safe now," he said pulling him into a hug. Though Willis didn't recognize the man he leaned into the warm embrace, "You'll be fine Wally."

His eyes shot open and he pushed the man back. The man had a hurt look in his eyes.

"Wally? Is everything alright?" he asked. Willis's eyes were wide in disbelief. He was Willis. Wasn't he?

"Go away!"

"Wally," he said with a hurt voice before a siren went off, "I have to go. I'll be back. I promise."

Willis shot up in his bed sweating profoundly. He gasped at the elusive air. Who was that? He felt so real. So alive.

He had called him Wally in the dream. Wally was a dorky name. That couldn't be his could it? There were millions of other names out there. His couldn't be Wally. He was just tired and real freaked out with Cadmus on the loose. That was it. There was nothing too weird about that.

He just wanted answers. Not that he didn't love his family now. But he wanted to remember. He wanted to say, 'I know who my family is. Blood or not.'

He closed his eyes and lay back down on the bed. He had many questions but one continuous thought alongside them. It seemed stuck in a never-ending loop. _I freakin hate Cadmus_.

**I really wanted this. But I don't think I did well. Meh. I'm the whacked out author. So if you like it review. I may take this chapter down later if it's bad but…**


	5. Chapter 5

Flash wasn't too thrilled to here about getting sent two younger heroes on this mission. It was his town. And apparently his clone on the loose. He wasn't one to say no to younger heroes or help though. Younger ones needed to learn. And help came in many ways. And with his luck he would need some.

…

Willis sat in his bed looking out his window almost obsessively. His stomach was starting to hurt. And it wasn't hunger either. It was familiar. It was like… Like Cadmus.

He didn't notice the tears that began to slide down his face. The cool wetness leaving salty rivers to trail down his freckled cheeks. He blinked a few times before recognizing the wetness and wiping his face.

"Am I really this weak?" he asked with a sad smile. He slipped out of bed and walked down Mick's staircase and into the bathroom. He splashed icy cold water onto his face trying to freeze the nightmare in the dark recesses of his mind. But soft blue eyes looked at him gently in his mind. A warm inviting smile with a punch line to a good joke. Intelligence lingering with idiocy in a way that welcomed scholars and children alike.

He reminded him a bit of Cold. Both with lighter hair and blue eyes. But Cold tried to hide his emotions whereas the man in his dream embraced them like a frozen man a fire. So warm. So warm.

…

"Bout time you got here," said Flash as Robin and Superboy appeared. Robin smiled and gave Flash a one armed hug.

"Good to see you to Uncle Flash," Robin said. Superboy looked at Flash. He was… surprised. He bared resemblance to Superman. He looked like the man of steel. But Flash seemed a bit different than who he had seen. Flash here was bulkier. He had more muscle sure but he seemed that he had a naturally bigger build. Was it his confidence? Or was it something else?

"Good to see you to little bird. And you must be Supey," he said happily. His voice was different too. Superboy sounded similar to the man of steel. The younger speedster sounded similar, but not even mistakable for the older Flash. What exactly did Cadmus do? He wasn't even much of a clone. More of a kid who happened to get the same powers as Flash and was absolutely terrified of Cadmus for one reason or another. But how could he really know without…

"What do you look like?" Superboy said aloud. Flash blinked but ended up laughing. Robin gave him a look.

"Sorry Flash. He's…"

"No it's all good. It might help us find the little devil," he said with a smile. Without hesitating (or if he did it was too fast for either boy to notice) he removed his mask. Robin's eyes widened slightly. Superboy's just widened. Beneath Flash's mask was sandy blond hair, not brilliant red. And Flash's eyes were a mystifying blue that almost matched Superman's. Not the vibrant and mischievous green they had seen on the terrified runner's face. He had no freckles.

Robin typed something into his gauntlet.

"So he's just another speedster," he muttered. Flash looked confused.

"What?" he asked.

"The one we saw…," Conner began, "he had red hair. And he had green eyes. Freckles on his nose too."

Flash's face paled for a moment. His usual happy face held a questioning look.

"Can you describe anything more about him?" he said in a more serious face. Robin had heard it before. It was forensic Barry who had entered the room. More serious than Flash.

"He was thinner. Scrawny," Superboy began, "His facial structure matched more of a child. He was… he was about Artemis's age. Maybe a bit younger. He had a small scar by his ear."

So it wasn't a clone of him. Then who was the boy?

…

"Yummy! Yummy! Pancakes!" James yelled enthusiastically sitting down at the table for breakfast.

"I have cereal," said Mick as he handed him a box of Cheerios. James pouted but his smile was reformed when Willis walked into the room with a yawn.

"Sleeping beauty's up!" said James excitedly. Mick raised a brow.

"Rough night?" he asked. Willis nodded slowly. His eyes were drooping.

"You could say that," Willis said sitting down. His stomach wouldn't allow him to attempt to sleep anymore. He needed food and he needed it now. He grabbed a bowl that was placed out and filled it to the brim with Cheerios as Mick pulled milk from the fridge. James watched carefully as he saw Willis fill his second bowl and filling a third before Mick even noticed and came with the milk.

When Mick sat down with them though, Willis slowed down his eating to a normal persons. James' lips felt like they were twitching. As Willis finished his third bowl James poured more cereal into it. Mick gave him a look.

"I don't think he needs _that_ much cereal," he said.

"But you've seen how much Flash eats," said James innocently. Willis's face shot up and looked at James in slight confusion, annoyance and fear.

"What has _that_ got anything to do with Willis? It's not like he's a…"

But then again, he had seen stranger things in his lifetime.

"…So that's what Cadmus did. Damn. Life's a bitch," Mick said. Willis looked up at Mick.

"You're not mad?"

"I'm pissed out of my mind," he said making Willis flinch, "Cadmus is all levels of wrong."

Willis gave him a look.

"I already knew that. They tortured me for I don't remember how long," he said over-emotionally. James laughed. Mick sneered. A rare and very fun Willis had come out. Normally the subdued boy would have his bouts of energetic chaos.

"And another thing!" he said now on a tangent of his hatred of Cadmus grabbing yet another bowl of cereal filled by James, "Cadmus is a stupid little group. They can't hurt me any more! I have powers. I am smarter than I was. I above all, my hatred of their group will fuel my drive!"

The cereal was all gone and he handed the bowl back to James. He sighed and sat back in the chair.

"But I am sorry you found out this way. But there is no changing it now," he said simply. Mick gave Willis a look. Willis gave a pleading set of puppy dog eyes. But unfortunately, James was on Mick's side with the same powerful eyes. Willis sighed.

"Do I really have to tell them?"

"Oh yeah."

"When?"

"Well… tonight _is_ pizza night. So everyone is coming over. Tonight's good!" said James happily hugging Willis, "Wait! We need to make you a costume Will! It's going to be so cool," he said dragging Willis off to his room to make a costume. Mick sighed. _Kids_.

**Um… I was in DC for a week and my brain is fried. That would explain the chicken smell.**

**Please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

Willis sighed as James used his unique harlequin skills to change his clothes in the blink of an eye to see what his "look" should be. He had been in all colors and designs of spandex only to learn that bulky was "not his thing" and sticking with a slimmer design. James was set on a bright "look at me" yellow that Willis, though oddly found of the color, said no to.

"Well that's everythi- wait I know!" he yelled running back to the room where he had gotten all 341 of the other costumes. Willis sat down and sighed. A moment later (though it felt longer to Willis) James came out and threw a black turtle neck, black cargo pants, a lab coat, a bow tie and some sunglasses. Willis raised his brow questioningly.

"Come on!"

Sighing, Willis zipped into the odd outfit to find it surprisingly comfortable.

"The Doctor. I like it!" he declared. Willis rolled his eyes. Might as well go along with it.

"You know I'm not a full out crim," he reminded his pseudo brother.

"That's okay!" James squealed, "You can be the rogues doctor. You pretty much are already."

"Fine," Willis muttered. As long as he didn't have to expose his speed anymore he'd be fine. With that thought his stomach roared. James merely laughed as Willis blushed in embarrassment.

"And we'll make sure you're eating plenty of nummy foods!"

-.-

"So where do we start?" Robin asked Flash as they waited on top of a vacant roof. Not that many people spent their free time on roofs but you never know. Super boy felt his stomach tighten slightly. He looked over to the western part of the town.

"What's over there?" Super boy asked. Flash blinked and looked in the same direction he was.

"A rogue's hideout. Might as well start there," he said disappearing in a Flash.

"Does he do that often?" Super boy asked turning to Robin who had already disappeared. He just sighed and started jumping from building to building.

-.-

"Damn, so Cadmus made you a baby flash?" Golden Glider asked. Willis nodded. The other rogues in the room murmered amoungst themselves making James upset.

"He's still our baby," James pouted loud enough for everyone to hear. Heat wave snorted.

"We know that. We're talking about how to keep Flash _away_ from him."

"Huh?" asked Trickster innocently.

"It's no secret that those baby heroes are gonna tell the older ones and _they're_ going to tell Flash. And with that he's going to take him away," Mirror Master said simply. James ran over and pulled Willis into a tight hug. As he ate his twentieth (thirtieth?) slice of pizza.

"NOT OUR BABY!"

"Yes Tricks, our baby. So we need to come up with a way to keep him safe."

If only it were that simple. There was the sound of smashed glass and a strange gas poured into the room. The rogue's tried to dispel it and escape but soon fell unconscious. Once the gas had cleared a boy with Superman's ensignia stepped into the room.

"So Supey, you see him?" asked Robin who jumped in followed by Flash. Super boy's eyes fell on a slouched red head who was out cold like everyone else being hugged by the pshycho clown he couldn't hit the last time he was in Central.

"Yes," he said pulling the boy he recognized as the fellow "Cadmus" child into his arms bridal style. Flash froze when he saw the boy. He walked up slowly, carefully, as if he was walking up to a wild animal. He brushed the hair from the boy's eyes. A concerned look came to his face.

"Wally?" he muttered so softly that only Super boy could really hear him.

**T.T Okay, For the past few months I have had no computer to work on. Those that have seen a recent post for a new story was for an idea that was eating away at my brain. It threatened to eat this story if I didn't write it. I am so sorry I haven't updated and I hope you will all review.**


	7. Chapter 7

Flash stood by the ginger that lay unconscious in the med bay of the mountain. It was weird to think a villain was lying helpless in their medical ward. So far though, no one else knew. Flash had called Batman and Black Canary to come meet the little speedster. Flash though at the moment had his mask down, not worried about his identity at all, occasionally running his fingers through his fair hair. Blue eyes locked on the emotionless face of the thin teen.

"Who is he?" Robin muttered to himself. Obviously he was a Meta. And he had been with the rouges for some time based on the way the interacting.

"Robin. Flash. Superboy," came a stoic voice. Flash stood first, actually making eye contact with the bat. His face serious, almost frightening. But Superboy didn't know to fear that fact as he didn't know much of the scarlet speedster and Robin was trained by Batman who was good at hiding emotions. Batman walked over to the boy and pulled out a needle. He effortlessly found a vein and drew a little blood. Once he was done the sample was slipped into the belt. He looked back at Flash nodding slightly.

"Do not let him escape. Do not take him to where the other rogues are. Do not leave him alone. Not until we know more about him," he said leaving toward a lab. They all nodded. Once he was gone Flash went to looking back at the boy.

Superboy also turned to look at him if only for a moment. Was he a failed clone? Was he just a Meta? Was he a g-gnome? He looked away in thought. Robin, bored and curious began researching people who were missing who matched his description. Neither Superboy nor Robin really noticed when Flash began stroking the ginger's hair out of his eyes. Nor the slight twitch of his nose that happened because of it. Flash let out a small smile seeing the boy responding. His smile grew larger when his eyes started to open. Green bleary orbs looked up into warm blue pools before closing again.

He groaned and turned to his side.

"Five more minutes," he groaned renewing the attention for Superboy and Robin in time to see him grab the sheet and pull it over his shoulder, his back facing Flash. Flash chuckled at the boy's response.

"Alright kiddo," he replied warmly. Not more than a moment later the kid jolted out of bed, falling to the floor. His eyes now awake and sparking with fear and curiosity.

"Where am I?" he said looking around, not recognizing the place as a Central City location. At least not one he knew of. His eyes grew wider in a comical manner that made Robin laugh. His head flicked over in Robin's direction and he froze.

"Oh man," he whimpered.

"You don't look like you're feeling the aster," he said with a comforting smile. The phrase made the ginger confused. When Robin opened his mouth to explain, he was interrupted by the ginger.

"But aster… that's a type of flower. Why would I feel it?" he asked innocently. It was a rare moment when Robin looked confused.

"Is it really?" he asked.

"Uh… yeah?"

"Who are you?" Superboy grunted not liking how he didn't know this kid who obviously knew more of Cadmus than most. Willis felt his heart speed up in his chest. And an itch to run like all hell was loose.

"W-W-Willis," he stuttered a bit getting to his feet, moving his back to the wall.

"Easy kiddo. No one is going to hurt you," said a comforting voice. Willis looked over and froze out of shock. There stood the Flash sans his mask. And he looked very similar to Captain Cold. There were differences yes. His skin was darker by a shade and his hair was unruly like he had just run despite being so short. His eyes were warmer than Cold's usually were and held merriment and mirth. A true blue smile was visible where a playful scowl or smirk would transpire on Cold's. He felt his fear begin to slowly melt away. Flash was not one to hurt people. Even his own rogues.

"Okay," he said softly as he willed his heart to slow down taking away his urge to run. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Can I at least have the common courtesy as to know where the hell I am?"

Flash tutted, "Language kiddo."

Willis felt his cheeks warm up slightly, "Would you stop calling me that?"

It was bad enough that the rogues had decided to start calling him Baby Flash (which was mostly on James's part but still) but now for a cape to call him Kiddo? Oy. And that would only mean that Flash would go out of his way to see him at any Rogue location. Speaking of…

"Why am I here… And you never told me where I was!" he added.

"You're in a safe place," Flash said zipping around the bed to ruffle Willis's hair. His cheeks began to rival his hair color, making his freckles vanish, as he tried to run past the Flash, which in the end resulted in him being in a bear hug from the older speedster. He felt something in his head when he was embraced. A tickle of sorts. A vision of a blond man smiling at him and a woman with red hair smiling with him. _Iris._

He blinked and resumed squirming in the hero's embrace. Robin laughed and Superboy merely grunted. Once Flash had let go, Willis looked disgruntled to say the least. His hair was messy, almost looked windblown. A look of mild annoyance was on his face but that didn't change the fact that a smile had also made its way there. It made Flash laugh. The laugh made Willis's face change to curiosity. Sure he had heard the Flash laugh before. But there was something different. Something new. And someone grabbing his ankles? He glanced at the wall. Right. Chrome. Reflective. Duh. In an instant he was pulled into the wall shocking the group. Flash reached out to try and grab Willis but was too late as the mirror dimension closed. He muttered dark words to himself being one not to curse.

"I see he escaped."

Robin and Superboy turned to see Batman and Black Canary. Flash looked at his own reflection for a second before facing the other leaguers.

"What's the result?"

Batman opened his mouth when…

"THE ROGUES ESCAPED!" yelled Artemis furiously. Batman closed his mouth as the archer dashed past before stopping to get Robin and Superboy to help search.

"They wouldn't be in the mountain anymore," Batman stated, "Mirror Master has most likely taken them back to Central City."

"The kid Bats?" Flash asked impatiently.

"Positive," Bats answered. Flash's face changed like fluid with joy, surprise, anger, relief, acknowledgement, happiness, sadness and worry.

"Wally."

**And I wrote th-i-i-is… for a Klondike bar!(bull crap) Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

"Ugh."

"Sh… he's waking up!"

"You're the only one talking Tricks."

Bleary eyes opened slowly. Arms began moving toward face to brush long red strands of hair from his eyes. Eyes that opened to see Trickster and a rather nervous Willis. With speed that would make Flash jealous he wrapped his arms around the two pulling them close.

"Hart's up!" James said happily while Willis squeaked from the contact. Shuffling feet and grunts could be heard all around. Hartley pulled away from the two, keeping one hand on each of their shoulders. He glanced over James to see if anything had happened in the time he was "arrested" before flitting his eyes over to Wally. His revelation obvious.

"You little Speedster," he said in a foreign tone that worried Willis before he was pulled back into a hug which James joined to "smother the baby". Willis shocked put his arm slowly around Hartley and James as well.

"You ever not tell me something again and I'll let James use _all_ his pranks on you," he said squeezing a little tighter. Willis snorted.

"Glad to see you care," he responded.

"Alright enough of this sob story," Mirror Master said interrupting their little pow wow. The boys smiled sheepishly as Central's finest villains walked into the main room. Villains all of which were giving overprotective glares to both Willis and Hartley making the two red heads look anywhere but at the elder villains. It took little time for them all to be situated in the room. Cold and Boomerang took their seats near the three youngest as they would answer questions as to what happened as well.

They weren't traditional villains. They rarely had secrets about what happened to them while they were locked up. It allowed others to be prepared for whatever the capes had up their sleeves. It was what really made them different and helped them team up where as other villains and crooks would stab one another in the back.

"Now, who wants to go first?" Weather Wizard asked looking at the four who had escaped the capes.

-.-

"What's going on?" M'gann asked as the team was taken to the main room. Flash looked over at Batman and nodded before leaving for Central City. Batman sighed.

"A few years ago, Flash's nephew went missing. The speedster you saw with the rogues has the same DNA signature as his missing nephew."

"So it could be him?"

"Or a clone," Batman supplied. The team looked at one another anxiously. He _did_ mention Cadmus and he did seem to be afraid.

"He's with the rogues though. It doesn't add up," Robin muttered.

"Flash has gone to retrieve him."

"Is there any way to tell if he's a clone or not?" Artemis asked. She wanted her facts straight on whoever this new speedster was.

"Martian Manhunter will be coming once he has been caught to probe his memories. He should be able to tell if he was created or if he is Wallace West."

Robin's eyes widened slightly behind his glasses. He turned his head slightly away from Batman.

"But Flash will be bringing him to the mountain. You all will need to be on guard when he returns. Create a safe room with no reflective surfaces," he said noting Robin's subtle movement, "You're dismissed."

The team sans Robin left the room to discuss what they were going to do with the speedster. None of them really knew anything other than the fact that he was a squirrelly little runaway.

"Robin," Batman stated. Robin turned toward Batman carefully.

"Are sure Wally West?" he asked. Robin almost smirked when he could see Batman's brow raise a quarter of an inch.

"Yes," he answered, "Robin?"

"I knew Wally West," he said softly reaching into his pocket. He pulled out his wallet quickly and opened it up. Inside was a picture of his mom and dad. And another of him as a child before his parents died and of a red haired boy smiling with a yellow Flash shirt on. Batman looked at the picture quickly before walking toward a private room. Robin followed knowing that Batman had questions.

-.-

"Je-sus that's all kinds of crazy," Heat Wave said pouring himself a beer.

"Not as bad as Willis's dreams," James quipped. Willis's face soon rivaled his hair with its intense brightness.

"Hey, I don't know why I have dreams about being at the circus okay James?" he grumbled crossing his arms. It was an odd dream. One where he was running around with a boy no older than six. People of all kinds were laughing as the pale skinned boy got him to try the trapeze. Blue eyes and a wicked smirk.

"C'mon –lly!" he'd say over and over again. He'd just smile and giggle, chasing after him hearing older people laugh. Willis imagined they were his parents. But how would he know? Cadmus had done too much to change him to remember that clearly. He inwardly sighed as he recalled the frequency of that dream. Sometimes he'd see the rogues there. They were the other performers. Never did he talk to them in the dream though. That was for the blue eyed boy. He silently wondered if he was gay for blue eyed boys with dark hair. He'd ask Hartley later.

"Well it's official then," Cold grunted. The older rogues smirked.

"You three are under house arrest."

The three youngest looked at the older rogues like they were crazy.

"What?"

"But why?" James whined as he had not been kidnapped.

"You three are always together and we have a feeling Flashers ain't gonna stop lookin fer yah," Boomerang said pointing at Willis. Willis gave him a look of annoyance.

"I'm sure that he'll give up… eventually," he said not really believing himself. Cadmus may have "given up" but Flash's record told him that he'd sooner be dead than stop looking. Especially since he had given him such a worried look. It was as if he was Flash's long lost son or something.

…**Um Review. OH! And thank you for the Klondike bar!**


	9. Chapter 9

Willis groaned as he beat Mick in the eighth game of chess in the past hour.

"I am bored," he whined. Mick rolled his eyes.

"Look shorty," Willis scoffed at the name, "We don't like keeping you cooped up in here either. But we really don't want anything happen to you either sunshine," Mick continued ruffling his hair. Willis huffs as he slouches back into the chair.

"Besides, Hartley and James aren't going out either."

"What are you talking about? James snuck out about two hours ago," Willis stated offhandedly. Sure he was getting James in trouble. But if he had to suffer then so did his pseudo brothers. Mick sighed standing up. Calmly he made his way to the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Willis heard Len question.

"Out. James is gone."

"Fuck."

Willis snickered. Oh the joy of an old fashioned James hunt. He propped his feet up on the chess board just so the pieces wouldn't fall.

He closed his eyes for a moment and let himself fall asleep in the main room. He was not terribly worried. The heroes hadn't barged in on their homes. They hadn't sent people asking questions. Flash had been irritable at best but that was better than hunting him down.

But Willis couldn't help but wonder why. Why was Flash bothering with him? Was it because of his powers matching his? Probably didn't want the rogues to have someone who could out run him. That sounded about right.

He never asked for this life. One where he was living a lie that was his truth. And his past which was and still contains his old truth had become a lie. Confusing no? Willis thought it was. Even in his dreams it was weird.

He had didn't often have dreams. Nightmares were common enough but not dreams. Mostly of Cadmus and a circus. The circus held fun times and dreams. And Cadmus held many nightmares. But there were one or two dreams of Cadmus that weren't nightmares per say, just really confusing. One of them he remembered clearly was one of him being led to a lab when he happens to see a group of men moving a large container.

_Inside the container was a boy who looked older than he did thrashing about, pounding violently on the door. One of the scientists held a strange rock toward him and he calmed down. He tilted his head slightly in confusion, his face scrunching up innocently. Blue eyes glared into green eyes. The blue eyes widened and trashed more. He flinched a little but continued staring at the trashing teen. _

_Scientists cursed as they moved the small green rock closer to the teen. He roared in agony as he slumped backward in his mechanical prison. His eyes barely open, still looking at him intently. Like he expects him to do something. His hand gently touches the glass only to flinch back when the green rock comes closer. His eyes close in pain. The young boy can't help but feel a little sorry and relieved. Sorry that the teen is being punished. Thankful he isn't alone and he isn't the one being punished._

"_WR-23. That is Project Match. Be good or you'll end up just like it," one of the scientists said with a sick smile. He dropped his eyes to the floor as he was led away to the lab to begin the day's tests. He could still hear the screams of the experiment echo mercilessly throughout the halls. He didn't bother covering his ears. The screams would soon end anyway._

"JAMES WHAT DID WE TELL YOU!?"

"Not to blow up the kitchen with nuclear peeps?"

"N-! Well there is that. But we told you. YOU'RE GROUNDED!"

"But that's no fun!" James whined. Willis snickered as he heard Len sigh from the other room.

"James. You care about Willis. Right?" he asked.

"Yes. I loves our baby!" he said quickly with excitement and joy.

"And you don't want anything to happen to him. Right?"

"Of course not silly," he reprimanded Len.

"Because when you go outside, old Flashers can find you."

"Uh huh."

"And if he finds you he can follow you."

"Okay."

"And if he follows you he'll take away Willis."

A moment of silence was enjoyed throughout the base before it donned on James what Cold had just said.

"NOT OUR BABY!"

And with that James ran out of the kitchen and into the main room to hug the daylights out of there closet speedster.

"Did you really have to say it like that?" Willis asked as Len walked in with a shit eating grin on his face.

"Had to explain it in a way he would understand the severity of the situation."

"I hate you."

"Love you too shorty."

Willis pouted, "Not my fault I'm the youngest."

"-we're going to need pad locks and flame throwers and some marbles and a rubber chicken-"

"Not our fault either."

"-and a mace. Now where can I get a mace?" Trickster continued plotting ways to protect their baby.

"Well I need to blame somebody."

"Blame genetics. Bless whoever brought you into this world and curse them for making you so short."

"-then tacos. We can all celebrate with tacos. No wait! Chimichangas! Chimi-cherry cherry-changa! Yum-yum!"

"Fine. Mom. Dad. Whoever you may be. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME SO SHORT!?"

"Indoor voice Willis."

"Whatever."

"-And that will be the greatest party ever!"

Len and Willis looked over at James with a blank stare.

"Have you taken your medicine today?"

**Filler yes. But there may or may not be something in this chapter that will be very important. I haven't decided if I'm going to use it or not. If you can guess it then I will let you, the readers decide. I don't want to ruin it though…**


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